Chapter 78 – Chuunibyou Strikes Again
The younger ones have potential, but the older ones? Their nutrition can’t keep up, and their overall quality is just not there.
Forcing them to meet training standards is a recipe for disaster; before the elite troops are even trained, the recruits might just lie down on the training ground!
However, the Liu Residence, where Jiang Pengji resides, is extravagantly wealthy. There may not be many other things, but there’s certainly enough food to ensure no one goes hungry.
Right now, there are only about ten to twenty House Servants at the farm. With so few mouths to feed, she can definitely handle it.
“Ke is carefully observing what the Young Master has written. Though the content is harsh, there are still valuable points within it.”
Xu Ke was initially worried that Jiang Pengji might get angry, but after observing her closely, he saw no displeasure on her face. So, he gathered his courage and continued, “The so-called elite troops are akin to fine weapons, accompanied by top-notch soldiers. What defines elite soldiers? Strong bodies and fierce combat skills are one aspect; strict discipline and unwavering laws are another. In my view, the latter is especially crucial.”
One soldier, no matter how strong, is just one person, capable of only one person’s strength.
But what if a hundred men act as one? The results could be astounding!
Even though the training items outlined in Jiang Pengji’s plan were frighteningly demanding, seemingly beyond normal human capability, Xu Ke still noticed the underlying emphasis—discipline!
Jiang Pengji nodded in approval, impressed by Xu Ke’s performance exceeding her expectations.
“Indeed… I saw a popular story the other day, describing a fearsome general of a previous dynasty who moved through enemy ranks as if they were nonexistent, his gallant form resembling a deity, untouched by ten thousand troops. However, in my eyes, that’s somewhat laughable.”
Xu Ke was momentarily stunned by Jiang Pengji’s boastful words.
Though she spoke only a few lines, he instantly recognized which legendary general she referred to. It was Meng Jing, known as “The White Dragon Among Men,” a hero who fought alongside the founding emperor, renowned for creating extraordinary achievements!
“Don’t believe it?” Jiang Pengji raised an eyebrow, stood up, and grabbed the bow and arrow, pointing at Xu Ke, “Why do you think that general is so brave and not that the enemy troops are just incompetent? To me, he was merely a decent elite soldier, facing a bunch of worthless losers.”
“Had they been true wolves or lions, how could they allow a mere mortal to weave through their ranks with ease? Was he riding a horse faster than lightning, able to outpace even arrows? Or is his body like iron, impervious to blades? They were nothing more than a bunch of undisciplined cowards, too afraid of death!”
Ants can take down an elephant, yet an army of thousands can’t stop a single mortal?
Even Jiang Pengji, in her previous life, wouldn’t claim to face thousands of blades and emerge unscathed.
What she wanted were true wolves and lions, the kind willing to put their lives on the line!
Forget a general on a white horse; even a giant on an elephant could be chopped into mince meat!
Xu Ke’s rational mind told him that Jiang Pengji’s claims were too idealized, too absurd; yet envisioning that scenario of one hundred men acting as one, in perfect order and strict discipline made his blood boil and his mind heat up!
【Cafeteria Aunt】: Let me calculate… Boy, you’re in trouble!
【Domineering CEO】: This streamer is addictive; it’s spreading the chuunibyou disease!
【Parasol Sasa】: Uh oh, has Xu Ke caught the chuunibyou disease? His eyes are practically glowing!
【Farmer Spring Water Seems Suspicious】: I don’t care, I just love this chuunibyou-affected streamer—full-blown late-stage patient!
Jiang Pengji casually glanced at the barrage of comments, and the surge of adrenaline she had just felt was instantly doused, leaving her with an awkward, inexplicable sense of embarrassment. If anyone disrupts the vibe, it’s definitely this group of viewers laughing all the time.
She patted Xu Ke, lost in his heated thoughts, and said lethargically, “What were we just saying? Continue…”
Xu Ke: “…”
He wasn’t quite at his peak excitement yet; being interrupted midway felt downright inhumane, you know?
Though Jiang Pengji spoke lightly, to achieve that level under current conditions was nothing short of a pipe dream.
“Unwavering discipline”—it’s just four words, but putting it into practice is exceedingly difficult.
The primary challenge is the ridiculously high illiteracy rate of this era.
If they can’t even fully understand commands, how can they execute them accurately?
The second challenge is the alarmingly low execution rate of this time.
As mentioned before, in a war involving upwards of three hundred and fifty thousand participants, maybe not even fifty thousand truly determine victory. What about the remaining three hundred thousand? They’re largely just there to earn merit points or to collect military rations!
If the side wins, they rush in together; if it loses, they scatter like a bunch of cockroaches. Aside from the bystanders, the remaining fifty thousand “elite troops” appear highly unqualified to Jiang Pengji, far from meeting the standards of wolves and lions.
In chaotic battles, those “elite troops” might suppress their fear of death to follow orders from above, yet that’s a slim chance. More likely, they’d take advantage of the confusion and run away, only caring for their own lives.
After a defeat, it’s the leaders who bear the brunt of blame, not the faceless masses of soldiers.
Because of this, in ancient times, the morale of the troops was extremely crucial; otherwise, the spirit of the army would easily fracture, leading to inevitable defeat unless they encountered enemies even more downtrodden than themselves.
At the root of it all, it boils down to two words—discipline!
A group of disciplined sheep can effortlessly defeat a horde of disorderly wolves.
After a deep discussion, Xu Ke’s eyes widened more and more, occasionally sparkling with fervent admiration as he looked at Jiang Pengji.
Initially, he thought she was just your average noble, easy on the eyes. Then, after witnessing her come to his aid during the Elegant Gathering, he stuck labels like “powerful,” “reckless,” and “wayward” on her. After last night, he realized she was more astute than he first thought, like she was in total control of everything, including human emotions. And now, his impression was being completely refreshed!
If he had been hesitant before, Xu Ke has now fully realigned his mindset.
Even if he’s just an outsider, merely listening to her, he starts to see tremendous feasibility in her proposed small military formation.
Indeed… this person has big plans in mind.
Dongqing hasn’t fully descended into chaos yet, and she’s already plotting how to make a mess!
Xu Ke quietly bowed his head to listen. He couldn’t fathom why someone like him, entrusted with guarding a residence, needed to learn military formations or impose severe discipline.
